Is Wood A Viable Source For Recording Music Onto?

Hard to believe, but in reality its 100% true, a song was etched into wood for a recording

Link over to Core77 for the article

"We were pretty impressed with Amanda Ghassaei's 3D-printed records, but apparently the Tech Editor at Instructables isn't content to blow our minds with her digital fabrication prowess just once. As of this weekend, she's back with a veritable encore: a Laser Cut Record.

Although all the documentation for that project is available here, and the 3D models can be printed through an online fabrication service, I felt like the barrier to entry was still way too high. With this project I wanted to try to extend the idea of digitally fabricated records to use relatively common and affordable machines and materials so that (hopefully) more people can participate and actually find some value in all this documentation I've been writing.

As with the 3D-printed vinyl, the laser cut record is hardly high-fidelity... but that's not the point. The point is, it's really f'in cool.

Amazingly the laser etched into the wood in a great way

The process, which Ghassaei duly explains to a high degree of technical detail on Instructables, also works for acrylic, pictured above. Here's "Femme Fatale" in maple, as promised; more videos are available on Ghassaei's video page.



Naturally, I'm curious as to whether it would be possible to combine—or "mash-up," as they say—Ghassaei's digi-fab wizardry with, say, Bartholomaus Träubeck's rather more conceptual wooden record. While we're at it, maybe Richard Dahlstrand can come up with a way to take it to the next level: I'm picturing a RepRap record player, hacked beyond recognition into some kind of simultaneous fabrication and playback device...

The laser created a really cool burn pattern that actually plays the song

In any case, it should go without saying that we encourage Amanda to keep up the good work—we're curious to see what you come up with next..."

Can You Really Ride A Cardboard Bicycle?

Sustainable materials are all around us. Now, it is just a matter of reformulating their original purpose and repurpose these materials into new and challenging solutions. Who woulda thunk that cardboard could be crafted into functional bicycle or that wood could be potentially stronger than kevlar or carbon fiber?

Necessity is the mother of invention and hearing about stories such as a bike being built from cardboard keeps us awake at night. We know of the amazing building properties within bamboo, concrete, hemp and an array of other materials, so now we are seeking out a plethora of interesting stories such as this.

Neil Fallon sings it best in the Clutch song You Can't Stop Progress

Link to short film on Vimeo

Izhar cardboard bike project from Giora Kariv on Vimeo.

Questions and answers, original post and info here

What was the biggest challenge in working with cardboard?

The biggest challenge of the Cardboard Bike project was to learn and develop a whole new know how of cardboard. Our challenge was to take the cardboard material, and pass it through a set of treatments, to replace the raw materials of plastic, wood or metal.

What did you learn from the experience?

What start up nation learned: That Nothing is impossible if you have patience and you are persistent.

How far along is the development of the Cardboard Bikes?

The development started 3 years ago. Since there was no know how with regards to the cardboard material, the first 2 years were devoted to learning the properties and behavior of the material; from all aspects of engineering tools, strength calculations and analysis and establishment of the IP that protects all of this know how. The "packaging box on wheels" as seen in our video was the third prototype, the Alfa commercial model (with the letter A on the chassis), is the first operational model that is made of a 100% recycled materials (with the electric motor as an add-on option).

Is it patented?

All know how, working procedures and production techniques are fully patent protected worldwide by Israel’s leading patent Reinhold-Cohen.

When will the company get to the point where it is manufacturing?

The Company is now in the process of raising funds that will bring the company within 6 months of investment to the point in which we will have a full and detailed manufacturing plan for the first 2 platforms. The commercial/Urban bikes (BOM – $9, 9 KG), and the kids/youth bike (BOM - $5, 3.5 KG). These models will be made of almost 100% recycled materials and will have the option of adding an electric motor. At this stage we have only the prototype for the commercial bikes as shown on the video.

How do you have the knowledge to take it from here to the market?

The inventor, Mr. Izhar Gafni, is a mechanical engineer and a multi-disciplinary systems developer. Izhar developed the recycled cardboard bikes combining his knowledge in 2 main areas: being an expert in building and designing custom made carbon fiber bikes for high end riders and his experience as a production line expert. Izhar is known for his former developments of the Pomegranate Peeling Machine (for which he has won a prize by the American Association of Engineers), a Smart Robot for sewing shoes, a Disabled Climbing Machine and more.We believe we have the knowledge and the ability to reach our goals and that nothing is impossible.

What is your vision?

Cardboard Technologies is all about making a better world for us to live in by two main principals: creating the ability to produce almost any daily product from at least 95% recycled materials and building auto production lines, with a simple post production assembly that will be performed by people with difficulties or disabilities.

Unlimited and incentivized raw materials and incentivized manpower will help us create working places in every location which we will find a local partner at. Our vision is also to bring the factories back from China (starting with the green ones).

What is your business model, and what will be the end user cost of your bikes?

The principals of our vision above, will allow our partners and manufactures to receive almost all of the of the production costs of our products back from governmental and global incentives, making our products available to almost any person in any philanthropic or commercial business model.

We can add any design or logo to the bike chassis for example and with by adding a simple electric motor, making it the most classical urban clean transportation.

This will allow our bikes to be given away as a commercial transportation or as a gift for Christmas from your Mayor.

Another important attribute of our bikes, is that they need no adjustment or maintenance, making them available directly to consumer at low price, and not through the regular marketing chains that will bring it to an end cost of X5 post assembly."

Henry Studley Toolbox, Work Of Genius

Keeping your tools organized is absolute zen. I cannot walk in my shop and not know where every tool is or what cabinet section within which it is located. Now is our tidiness on the level of Henry Studley? I think not, but the design of his toolbox and the contents within it speak of the precision to the instruments which he built. Just from the tool locations and setup it is easy to imagine how well his piano's were put together. 

We have spoken multiple times on how we are losing craftsmen and the art of having a trade and it is a sad state in our mind. Whatever hobby or craft that you have to which you find an affinity, push it to another level. Whether it be leather craft, welding, mechanic or even a musician, take it to another level and just keep pushing. The more things become just a commodity, lets challenge that reality and help to turn the tide.

Link to original article on FineWoodworking.com

Custom toolbox created by piano builder Henry Studley

The history of H.O. Studley and his tool chest
 
Massachusetts piano maker Henry Studley built his magnificent tool chest over the course of a 30-year career at the Poole Piano Company. The chest lived on the wall near his workbench, and he worked on it regularly, making changes and adding new tools as he acquired them. Using ebony, mother-of-pearl, ivory, rosewood, and mahogany -- all materials used in the manufacture of pianos -- he refined the chest to the point that now, more than 80 years after his death, it remains in a class of its own.

Packing more tools per square foot than seems physically possible, piano maker Henry Studley's unrivaled tool chest also manages to be beautiful in the process. The chest stands as perhaps the most exquisite example of 19th-century tool-chest craftsmanship.

Considering how many tools it holds, the famous chest is really quite small; when closed, it is just 9 in. deep, 39 in. high, and just more than 18 in. wide. Yet it houses so many tools -- some 300 -- so densely packed that three strong men strain to lift it.

For every tool, Studley fashioned a holder to keep it in place and to showcase it. Miniature wrenches, handmade saws, and some still unidentified piano-making tools each have intricate inlaid holders. Tiny clasps rotate out of the way so a tool can be removed. In places the clearances are so tight that the tools nearly touch. The chest, which hangs on ledgers secured to a wall, folds closed like a book. And as the chest is closed, tools protruding from the left side nestle into spaces between tools on the right side. Amazingly, despite being so densely packed, the tools are all easily accessible.

Custom calipers by H.O. Studley

Studley was well into his 80s when he retired from the piano company. Before he died in 1925, Studley gave the tool chest to a friend. That man's grandson, Peter Hardwick, loaned the chest to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. in the late 1980s and later sold it to a private collector in the Midwest. That owner again sold the tool chest to another private collector, where it now resides.

Almost lost among the tools but no longer obscure to history, the name of the maker, H. O. Studley, and his Massachusetts hometown of Quincy are engraved on small plates just above his brace. Scraps of ebony, ivory, rosewood, and mother-of-pearl left over from his work as a piano maker gave Studley raw material for his tool chest and many of the tools it contains.

Henry Studley's custom toolbox with all the tools taken out

Ideas First - Safety Last, Creating A Custom Shop Sign

On any given sunday, we took the time to recharge the batteries and came up with something motivational for the shop. The decision was made that we needed to do some hand lettering, paint work and keep it under a couple of hours in actual time spent. With a huge project looming on the horizon that will require quite a bit of paint and massive scale for hand lettering, this was the perfect warm up project.

Piece of plywood to prep for painting

Measuring text to scale to draw in

Sketching in text after measuring size

Adding in red background with some latex paint

Basic idea is starting to come through

Laying down the white lettering

Black ink put down around white lettering

Bottom white lettering painted down

All lettering in white put down

Final sign completed and ready to hang on the wall to promote shop safety

Need Heat? Add Wooden Stove To Your Ride

As we are having quite the mild winter here in the lower 48, the folks over in Europe are experiencing a deep freeze that even Germany's economy cannot pull the other nations out of. An enterprising Swiss back yard engineer decided to fight off the cold the old fashion way by adding an inferno to the inside of his Volvo. We have to congratulate him on his cajones and the smart decision to pipe the fumes out of the roof.

Link to original article on National Post

Mr. Prokop lives in the town of Mettmenstetten, 25 km south of Zurich. Apparently the Swiss Technical Inspection Authority had no problem with a car that had a fireplace instead of a passenger seat.   REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann

Pascal Prokop, a Swiss man, has built a wood-burning stove in his car to combat the severe cold hitting Europe. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann

Old paint sticks or kindling to start the fire all work in this Volvo.    REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann

Mr. Prokop obtained an operating permit for his stove-car from the Swiss Technical Inspection Authority, making it perfectly legal to operate.   REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann

Since traditional car heaters are proving ineffective in the bitter cold in Europe, Pascal Prokop has thumbed his nose at the weather and built a wood-burning stove in his car.    REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann

How To Make Wooden Puzzles

We are huge fans of puzzles in all forms. It could be a cool old wooden puzzle or the engineering challenge to make something work visually in which it looks as if alchemy and wizardry are at play. Take a look at these two puzzles and or sculptures and look at how they were made. Any great fabricator has tricks up their sleeve to fool the eye. If ya have any other tips or cool homemade work, send them along or post up a link.

How To Build A Custom Stage and Booth

A crazy idea struck us earlier this summer. We figured that building a new setup for all the shows we do at motorcycle, hot rod and music events would be a good idea. Of course this was all on the fly and didn't even really think on drawing up a fully fleshed out idea as our clever concept entailed obtaining all recycled material or at least mostly refurbished steel and wood.

Several sketches and quite a few beers later we posted a note up on the local craigslist looking for scrap steel. Within a few days we got an email from a couple about an hour away that had an old steel staircase that needed tearing down and offered the steel for free if we hauled it away. How could we pass up on the opportunity to spend ten hours and over 30 cut off wheels cutting down an entire staircase? Yes, we are gluttons for punishment as this was all accomplished in close to a hundred degree heat and southern humidity, our normal operating temperature.

With all the steel finally at the shop we could take measurements and really see what we had to work with. The beams were our main interest along with the pipe as that would be our main structural support for the floor deck and poles to support the roof. The steel was under a huge amount of tension with the step supports that were welded on as they had begin to flex over the forty years that the stairs had been in use. As we we were cutting off the support brackets the steel was snapping back into its original shape. If that won't rattle your nerves handling big beams, not sure what else will, as you can guess this stuff isn't light.

Knowing how big our projects can get I cast out a blank series of text messages for "volunteers". One lone ranger opted to show up and help and we thank none other than Jukebox Hank for rolling down for three days for some sweat equity. Without his help in getting all the grinding and metal prep done on the box frame, we truly would have been up shits creek. The setup of the beams should have been a three man job to line things up and weld in the brackets to hold the corner bolts but we did it with two and several cinder blocks. The beams now lock into place with a series of four large bolts and the supports of the crossmember wood and steel pipe hold it all together so its easy to assemble and disassemble. In all actuality, one person can build the entire platform now without any other help as I had to do close to seven times to really dial in the construction of it on the fly.

One of the last pieces that we needed was refurbished floor planks. Luckily we have a Habitat for Humanity a couple of miles down the road and was able to purchase a stack of eighteen 2 x 6 x 10's in a variety of lengths. With the planks, our floor could now be completed and we cut those all to length and placed them in a specific alignment to lock the wood in tight and employed a few shims to really tighten it up.

Our plan is that now with a solid floor we can also use this for indoor shows as a bike platform or a raised deck for a variety of setups. We dig having an old country store feel as it matches the vibe we are going for. This stage has been truly labor intensive to build, but it solidifies exactly what we are doing and doesn't look like a lame cookie cutter tent at outdoor festivals. Add in our wrench knives flags and a variety of roof options and we are set for just about any damn show we need to do. 2012, here we come!

Total Cost, just under $180 bucks with excess cut off wheels, bolts, welding wire, etc. etc. Who says cool things have to cost a lot of money, go out and make life happen.

Soundtrack to stage building 101 provided by Antiseen and Crank County Daredevils

Antiseen - Broke Down Blues by RustyKnuckles

Crank County Daredevils - That's How We Roll by RustyKnuckles
Crank County Daredevils - Coming Down by RustyKnuckles
 

Homemade Guitar From Piece of 600 Year Old Tree

If you had recently found a really cool old piece of wood in the Mississippi River what would you do with it? Well, as it turns out a buddy of Leroy from Hellbound Glory decided to let his brother, who is a custom furniture builder, have a crack at it. He shaped the piece of wood and smoothed it all down to make a custom guitar. After adding a few more low budget modifications, tuning devices and "pickups" a new three string guitar was complete.

You don't have to spend loads of money to create the perfect noise machine. Get creative and find new ways to build yourself whatever custom item that comes to mind, whether it be guitar, car or bike. Enough with thinking in a period correct mindset, make it cool and make it your own, as that is being truly non conformist and DIY.